Microchip Technology (MCHP) has launched the MPLAB® AI Coding Assistant, a free Microsoft VS Code extension designed to enhance software development efficiency. The tool, based on the Continue open-source AI code assistant, features Microchip's AI chatbot for real-time support and includes advanced autocomplete capabilities, error detection, and integrated access to Microchip documentation.
The assistant's unique sidebar chat feature can deliver block diagrams within the VS Code interface, distinguishing it from other code assistants. While the basic version is free, some advanced features require a subscription license. The company will showcase the tool at Embedded World (March 11-13, 2025).
CHANDLER, Ariz., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) is leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist software developers and embedded engineers in writing and debugging code with the launch of its MPLAB® AI Coding Assistant. A Microsoft® Visual Studio® Code (VS Code®) extension, the free tool is based on Continue—the market’s leading open-source AI code assistant—and comes preconfigured with Microchip’s AI chatbot for real-time support.
The Microchip chatbot enables a chat functionality which allows developers to evaluate and iterate on code directly from the sidebar. This interactive support enhances the coding experience by providing highly customized, relevant real-time assistance and insights on Microchip-specific products with the chatbot being updated on a continuous basis. Additional features include advanced autocomplete for easier coding, an edit feature and error detection for efficient code modifications within the current file and integrated access to searchable Microchip documentation within the IDE.
“The MPLAB® AI Coding Assistant represents a significant leap forward in software development and will transform how engineers work with Microchip products,” said Rodger Richey, vice president of development systems and academic programs at Microchip. “We’re harnessing the power of AI to provide interactive, real-time support that helps developers create better software, more quickly and with less hassle.”
Integrated Access to Microchip’s Documentation and Resources
Where more general AI coding assistants rely on pre-trained, general-purpose datasets, MPLAB AI is designed to function as a dynamic repository of Microchip’s embedded development knowledge. That means that engineers can query specific register definitions, peripheral functions, and compiler directives and receive responses that integrate live updates from Microchip’s knowledge base. As Richey puts it “Instead of having to go out there and figure it out or train something on their own, here’s a model that’s fully grounded and vetted to use.”
Unlike most other code assistants on the market, MPLAB AI Coding Assistant’s sidebar chat feature can deliver block diagrams directly within the VS Code interface rather than just text responses. This capability, combined with easy access to a library of documentation on Microchip microcontrollers and microprocessors streamlines the coding process and helps enhance accuracy.
The MPLAB AI Coding Assistant is built on Continue, an open-source AI-based code assistant that allows for interactive, real-time coding support. The chat-based interface, preconfigured with Microchip’s AI chatbot, provides tailored responses specific to the company’s microcontrollers, development tools, and software libraries. Developers using the tool can access detailed technical insights automatically through the coding assistant without needing to manually search datasheets or external documentation.
One of the major architectural innovations is the tool’s ability to vectorize datasheets and technical documentation so that complex information—such as register maps, memory structures, and peripheral configurations—is accessible within the VS Code environment. Rather than relying on static references, the AI assistant actively retrieves relevant documentation based on the developer’s queries, dynamically presenting block diagrams, register definitions, and example implementations in the IDE.
Future Roadmap and Expanding Capabilities
Currently, MPLAB AI Coding Assistant supports 8-bit to 32-bit microcontrollers, with 64-bit support scheduled for a future update. Microchip plans to expand its AI-powered documentation set beyond datasheets, integrating compiler user guides, software library manuals, and training transcripts into the assistant’s searchable knowledge base. Additionally, the company is exploring voice-enabled interaction for engineers to engage with the assistant using speech commands.
From a commercial availability standpoint, MPLAB AI Coding Assistant is available free of charge, with potential subscription-based advanced features in future iterations. Microchip intends to continuously update the AI model with the latest microcontroller reference material, IDE enhancements, and optimized programming workflows.
.png&w=256&q=75)
